Focus has landed the catch of the day, picking up the supernatural horror package The Fisherman, a novel by John Langan.

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David Lowery, who most recently made the ghost story psychodrama Mother Mary, is attached to direct the adaptation and co-write the script with Alex Ross Perry.

The adaptation sees two sets of big horror names teaming up for the project. Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, and Alex Ginno of Platinum Dunes, the banner behind A Quiet Place and The Purge movies, are producing along with Gary Dauberman, the writer behind New Line’s It and Annabelle films, and Mia Maniscalco, who are producing via their company, Coin Operated.

Langman’s novel told the story of Abe and Dan, two widowers who bond together with fishing getaways in upstate New York as way to cope with their grief. One day, however, Dan suggests that pair try a new spot, an isolated and mysterious spot named Dutchman’s Creek, which is whispered to allow a person see their loved ones. Even a spooky tale from a man in a diner detailing the terrible history of the creek can’t stop these two men, who eventually find themselves face to face with Der Fisher, aka The Fisherman. They probably should have just stayed home that weekend. 

The novel was well-received when it was published in 2016, even winning the Bram Stoker Award for best novel. The novel has been described by some as a blend of cosmic horror and folk horror.

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Lowery’s resume runs the gamut of dramatic genres as the filmmaker eschews easy pigeonholing. He wrote and directed the modern Western love story Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara, but also did the unique fantasy romantic drama A Ghost Story. He was behind two Disney movies, 2016’s Pete’s Dragon and 2023’s Peter Pan and Wendy, but earned acclaim with the adult-themed medieval fantasy The Green Knight, released in 2021. And he still managed to squeeze in some episodic work on Star Wars series The Skeleton Crew before writing, directing and producing Mother Mary, which starred Anne Hathaway and Michael Coel. He is repped by WME and Frankfurt Kurnit.

Platinum Dunes is currently in production on A Quiet Place Part III, which has John Krasinski back as director and writer. Last year the company was involved with Anaconda, Sony’s reimagining of the slithery horror movie, and the Meghann Fary thriller Drop.

Coin Operated is in post production on The Revenge of la Llorona, New Line’s sequel to its 2019 hit The Cruse of la Llorona. Dauberman was also recently hired to write the third Five Nights at Freddy’s feature for Blumhouse Atomic Monster and shares writing credit on the upcoming Street Fighter.

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